neat Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. adjective satellite clean or organized
    orderly.
    • her neat dress
    • a neat room
  2. adjective satellite showing care in execution
    • neat homework
    • neat handwriting
  3. adjective satellite free from what is tawdry or unbecoming
    refined; tasteful.
    • a neat style
    • a neat set of rules
    • she hated to have her neat plans upset
  4. adjective satellite free from clumsiness; precisely or deftly executed
    clean.
    • he landed a clean left on his opponent's cheek
    • a clean throw
    • the neat exactness of the surgeon's knife
  5. adjective satellite very good
    groovy; dandy; corking; bully; not bad; swell; smashing; great; keen; slap-up; cracking; nifty; peachy; bang-up.
    • he did a bully job
    • a neat sports car
    • had a great time at the party
    • you look simply smashing
  6. adjective satellite without water
    straight; full-strength.
    • took his whiskey neat

WordNet

Neat noun singular & plural
Etymology
AS. neát; akin to OHG. nz, Icel. naut, Sw. nöt, Dan. nöd, and to AS. neótan to make use of, G. geniessen, Goth. niutan to have a share in, have joy of, Lith. nauda use, profit.
Definitions
  1. (Zoöl.) Cattle of the genus Bos, as distinguished from horses, sheep, and goats; an animal of the genus Bos; as, a neat's tongue; a neat's foot. Chaucer.
    Wherein the herds[men] were keeping of their neat. Spenser.
    The steer, the heifer, and the calf Are all called neat. Shak.
    A neat and a sheep of his own. Tusser.
Neat adjective
Etymology
See neat, n.
Definitions
  1. Of or pertaining to the genus Bos, or to cattle of that genus; as, neat cattle.
Neat adjective
Etymology
OE. nett, F. nett, fr. L. nitidus, fr. nitere to shine. Cf. Nitid, Net, a., Natty.
Wordforms
comparative Neater ; superlative Neatest
Definitions
  1. Free from that which soils, defiles, or disorders; clean; cleanly; tidy.
    If you were to see her, you would wonder what poor body it was that was so surprisingly neat and clean. Law.
  2. Free from what is unbecoming, inappropriate, or tawdry; simple and becoming; pleasing with simplicity; tasteful; chaste; as, a neat style; a neat dress.
  3. Free from admixture or adulteration; good of its kind; as, neat brandy. "Our old wine neat." Chapman.
  4. Excellent in character, skill, or performance, etc.; nice; finished; adroit; as, a neat design; a neat thief.
  5. With all deductions or allowances made; net. In this sense usually written net. See Net, a., 3. Syn. -- Nice; pure; cleanly; tidy; trim; spruce.

Webster 1913